Page 33 - Sierra Meadows Strategy

Next Steps and Moving Forward Meadow Protection and Enjoyment
• Develop prioritization for restoration and protection white paper (brief) supported by limiting factors analyses and existing databases on distribution of rare meadow dependent species relative to the landscape or watersheds within and among land owners. Much of these databases exist and an excellent prioritization framework based on these databases was presented to the larger group at the Second Meadow Meeting in March 2016. We anticipate that this would be made available by March 2017.
• Work on a white paper (brief) to link whole watershed management including roads, trails, dispersed camping, thinning needs and other components in a watershed that can and do in uence hydrology, climate stressors and risk of high intensity wild re as they affect or are effected by meadows.
• Develop Forest Service Strategy to complement this Strategy. Much of Approaches 1- 3 cover many of the needs of the National Forests within the Strategy Area. The purpose and goals align with the Region 5 Ecological Restoration Leadership Intent (USDA Forest Service 2015).
• Pursue an NCEAS working group to build upon existing evidence of ecological, economic, and social bene ts of meadow restoration. This will have the added bene t of identifying true gaps in our knowledge.
• As new topics arise, evaluate their relevance to the Strategy and apply resources to investigate and write white papers (briefs) on the issues.
• Several studies are testing new restoration methodologies. Write briefs on progress on these studies to the larger Sierra Meadows Partnership group.
• Several test cases and case studies are underway; write briefs and summarize the intent and methods to be employed.
• Characterize meadow condition / vulnerability across the Strategy Area (based on landscape data and local / project level data):
- Articulate speci c Desired Conditions for area.
- Develop objectives to focus on function (three areas /
multiple scales).
- Identify priority meadows.
- Apply coordinated pre and post project monitoring to
measure effects.
- Apply case study to determine if the multiple meadow
project will go through compliance and permitting in an
expedited way.
- Implement.
- Monitor, manage, report.
- Report on Framework process and lessons learned.
- Report on Progress made on Assessment, Permitting and
Conclusion
The Sierra Meadows Partnership has identi ed a purpose, a set of goals and a series of actions aimed at increasing the pace, scale and ef cacy of meadow restoration.
The three approaches to meadow restoration described in
this paper address not only how to make positive change with respect to “on-the-ground” restoration, but also institutional change in terms of permitting, planning, funding and stakeholder involvement and partnership capacity. To achieve the
target of restoring and protecting 30,000 acres in a 15 year period will require an all-hands, all-lands approach involving people, institutional change, improved coordination as well as perseverance.
The Strategy is intentionally ambitious. However, the Sierra Meadows Partnership, with this body of work, are poised for such an ambitious challenge. We, with the support of all, look forward to its implementation.
Compliance and lessons learned.
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